10-Episode 8 First Collision

'Why are you following me?

'I have the whole day free, so I thought I'd help Ginette.

We left the church and Estella followed us.

I'm the only one who had to eat a cold breakfast because of her. She's a pestilence.

''Besides, I want to keep an eye on your behavior.

Estella whispers in my ear.

'Hey, your face is close!Don't talk in my ear, you surprised me with your nice smell!

'You really are a straightforward person, aren't you?

Estella looks at me with a dumbfounded expression.

If I look honest, you're the honest one.

I'm just trying to look honest, that's all. He knows about the ...... spices, he's a tricky one. I don't know what he's trying to do, but he hasn't mentioned it at all since then, and he's talking to me like a normal person.

I think we should wait and see what he does.

But he's not someone I want to be around much.

'Oh, that's right. Mr. Yashiro.

Ginette, who was walking briskly in front of me pulling the cart, turns around and looks back at me.

'It was Estella-san who gave me the sea fish this morning.

'Oh, is that so? Hey, another one.

'Don't you have any feelings of gratitude?

You idiot. The fish in the sea taste good because of the sea. You have no reason to be grateful.

'Come to think of it, where do they get the money when you catch fish in the sea?

If Estella caught those fish, she would know why sea fish is so expensive.

I was curious as to where the tax was being placed.

'Where,' he said, 'is the usual introductory tax.

'So there's a tax when you bring the fish in.'

'Yes, that's right. On the fish and the people.'

Estella understood what I wanted to ask, and even added something.

Apparently even residents have to pay to pass through the gate. It's a nasty system.

It's like charging an admission fee not only to the customers but also to the staff working in the amusement park. It's even worse, because you can't make money without paying the admission fee.

'The one closest to the sea is the 35th district, and you have to pay a lot of tax to pass through the gate there.

'Then why don't you enter through a different gate?

I'm pretty sure this city has gates in different districts.

Like the gate of District 30, which I entered.

The fact that the 35th district is close to the sea means that even if the 35th district imposed a higher tax on fish, many people would use it. If that is the case, there is no way not to tax it.

On the other hand, if we use the gates farther from the sea, we can save the tax on fish.

'I've never ...... thought of that.'

Estella nodded in admiration.

'Considering the distance to be traveled, if we go through the most cost effective gate, the sea fish might be cheaper to market.'

Estella said with a twinkle in her eye, so I denied her outright.

'No, it won't.'

When there is a tax break, people want to keep the money in their pockets.

The market price won't go down unless a competitor appears.

'But I think people will be happy if they can get sea fish at a lower price.

'Fishermen and merchants are not in business to please others. They're in it to line their own pockets.

'...... I'm only in it to make my customers happy. ......'

That's a rare thing.

If it were me, I'd keep the price the same even if the purchase price went down.

'What I meant was that if you buy fish before you go over the gate, you might be able to make a profit.

If you buy fish inside the gate, the price will be after taxation.

Then, he thought, it would be cheaper to buy fish outside the gate and enter the city through the gate where the tax was lower.

However, if people are also subject to an entry tax, this may not be a good idea.

'You ...... are awesome.'

Estella stares at me with a straight face.

'Don't ...... touch my tits, I'm starting to get a little conscious of the girl in you, you're embarrassing me.

'You're so impatient.

'Please tell me you're smart!

Who's smart?

I just don't like to waste money.

Wasting money is for fools.

But I'd like to get some seafood eventually.

I'd like to be able to do so without wasting money.

I'd even like to go and do some diving myself.

'And one more thing. There's another factor that makes sea fish expensive.

Just as I was starting to think about self-fishing, Estella brought me more information.

'This thing costs a lot of money.

She pulls out a roll of paper.

An emblem with a double-headed eagle and a snake on it.

It is a parchment with such an emblem on it.

'It's a permit from the lord.

'Do I need a permit to catch sea fish?'

'Yes, you do. Either from the guild you belong to or from the lord of the district you live in.

No matter how large the ocean is, if you allow anyone to fish, it will have a negative impact on the ecosystem.

...... No, in this case, they are securing their own interests under the pretense of protecting the rights of fishermen.

As I recall, in order to sell spices, you need to be a member of a guild or a resident of some district. So the guilds and lords are the only ones who can guarantee your identity in this town.

If you take into account compulsions like "compulsory translation magic" ......

The church is the state, the lord is the local government, and the guild is the corporation.

The state has absolute laws (church precepts), the local government has ordinances (lord's authority), and the corporation has corporate rules (guild rules). Regardless of which local government you belong to, if you belong to a guild, you are also bound by the guild's rules.

For example, if you live in Tokyo, Chiba or Saitama and work for the same company, ...... you will be bound by the same rules and enjoy the same benefits if you are an employee of the same company, even though you pay local taxes in different places.

There seems to be no difference in the system.

'So, is that the emblem of the Lord of the Forty-two districts?

'Ah. If you live in District Forty-two, I'm sure you'll see it often from now on. It's the emblem that's always included in contracts and permits.

'Are there other types of permits?

'There are many. Trading permits, store opening permits. There are as many permits as there are rocks on the side of the road.

'It's easy to forge a permit by imitating the branding on the emblem.

'Don't say too much, traveler.

Sticking her fingertips to the bridge of my nose, Estella's tone intensified.

'It is a capital offense to misuse the emblem of a lord. You don't want to have to choose between ending your life with the curse of a spirit god or ending your life with punishment by a human ......, do you?'

'...... I've learned my lesson, I'll be careful.

I'll tolerate the naive comments of an ignorant traveler for once. I'm sure that's why Estella called me 'traveler boy'.

Misuse of emblems is a felony, huh?

Well, forging official documents is a felony in Japan too.

It must be punished severely or the order will collapse.

Forgery of official documents and currency is a felony in any world.

Nevertheless, ......

'Can I see that permit, please?

'You can have it if you want it. It's an expired permit.'

The permit had a large stamp that said 'expired' on it.

Apparently, it was a one-time use permit. ...... Disposable parchment?What a waste.

Conveniently, however, the emblem was not covered with ink.

Now you can see the fine patterns.

If you can see it, it's easy to reproduce .............

All you have to do is not abuse it.

There is no harm in having it in case of emergency.

I put the permit away in my pocket.

'Oh?

About five minutes after leaving the church, Ginette suddenly called out.

Two men were talking near a large field.

'That's Mormat and ...... over there.'

'You must be Assunto, of the Peddlers' Guild.

The crocodile-faced man desperately pleading for something is Mormat, with whom I had a brief conversation on the way.

The man who is talking to Mormat is a pig-faced, well-built man.

'What's going on?There seems to be some sort of dispute. ......'

Jeannette looks on with a worried expression.

Rather than a dispute, it seems that Momat is angry one way or the other.

The merchant, Assunto, has an arrogant attitude that even seems rather relaxed.

'Shall we go and have a look?

'I suppose so.'

Estella said and Ginette nodded.

I followed suit, and the three of us approached the two arguing together.

'That's not true, Assunto!

I'm not sure what to say, but it's already been decided.

'Oh, sir!

When Jeannette called out, the two old men stopped arguing and looked back at her.

Assunto bows his head in a relaxed manner, while Momat looks away with an embarrassed frown on his face.

'Well, well, well, of the Sunken Pavilion. Thank you for all your help.

Assunto greets Ginette.

So this guy is one of the vendors who supply the cafeteria with trash vegetables.

'What's wrong, sir?You looked like you were in some kind of trouble.'

'No, no. I was just informing you of the guild's decision.

'That's too one-sided, I'm telling you!

Mormat snapped at Assunto, who was speaking aloofly.

But Assunto is a willow in the wind.

'Mr. Mormat. What happened to you?'

I talk to Mo'amat, who is breathing on my shoulder, in a calm voice.

In such a case, it is best to ask the angry person. In any case, if you ask Assunto, he will conveniently ignore you.

If you listen to the one who is more inclined to Mormat, Assunto will argue with you on his own. That way, both sides can be heard smoothly.

'What's more, he wants me to sell it at 5 kilos 1Rb, when it used to be 1 kilo 1Rb!

'Oh no ...... then, let's see ............'.

Ginette begins to fold her fingers and do the math. ...... Can't you do the math, diner owner? ............

I can't help you. I'll help you.

'That's a fifth of the price.

'That's right!If you buy it at such a low price, we'll be out of business!

'Even if you say so, this has already been decided by the guild.

No matter how agitated Mormat was, Assunto was adamant that it was already decided. He didn't even seem to want to negotiate.

He bows his head humbly and tries to end the conversation.

'From now on, we'll buy it at this price, please.

'Wait a minute!At this price, we farmers will be dead in less than a week!

'...... Are you sure?'

Assunto snapped at Momat's careless comment.

Mormat must have been aware that he had misspoken, for he choked on his words and fell silent.

'So you're saying that if the price changes, you and the other farmers will all be dead in less than a week?

'No, no, that's a figure of speech. ......'

Mormat was at a loss for words. But Assunto was eloquent, and insisted that he would not let the opportunity to win slip away.

'Our precious Lord Spirit hates falsehoods more than anything else. If changing the price will kill you, then the guild must change its mind. However, if it is a falsehood, then ...... must be subjected to the "judgment of the spirits".

Assunto smiles wickedly.

Checkmate. He looks at me as if to say.

'What do you think?Why don't you let us buy it at our price just this once?Then we can see if all the farmers will die. If they face death, we will pay you the difference immediately and double the current price next time. But ......'

Assunto takes a step closer to Mormat. The mormat takes a step back in response.

'If there is not even a sign of death after a week, then I would like to invoke the "Judgment of the Spirits".

'Wait, wait, wait, wait!That's not ......!'

This time, Mormat moves forward to follow Assunto, who has stepped aside.

He stretches out his arms and pleads with Assunto.

As if he had been waiting for this plea, Assunto smiles broadly. I don't know if he thinks he's smiling like a saint, but he's smiling like he's trying to show off.

To me, it looks like a hyena licking its tongue.

'So, in exchange for doing your favor, you'll also do mine, right?

With that, Mo-Mat's shoulders slumped.

He must have realized that the game was over.

'...... Okay. Five kilometers, one rb.

'No, no, no. No, sir.'

'......?'

Assunto smiles wickedly at Mormat's pathetic expression.

'That's ten kilos and one Rb.

'Huh!'

Mormat closes in on Assunto and grabs him roughly by both shoulders.

Assunto does as he's told, but with a cool expression on his face.

'Because you just said 5km 1Rb!

'That's what you just said. Since you've added new conditions, we'll have to add more conditions too, otherwise we won't be able to get a balance.

In the event that you're in a position to do so, you'll be able to get a lot more information on the web.

Again, he was about to make a careless remark, when Mormat stopped talking. He seems to have stopped himself just in time, but it's too late. You can't take back what you started.

'Well, this is just a negotiation, so if you don't like it, you can kick me out.

'............'

Removing his hand from Assunto's shoulder, Mo'amat staggered backwards.

He moves slowly, as if he were a puppet without a will, and you can tell that he's completely lost his mind.

'...... Mr. Mo-Mat'.

Next to me, Jeannette lets out a scratchy voice.

I looked at her and saw that she was crying ............ profusely.

...... Why are you crying?

It's none of your business. ......

Mo'amat's self-destruction was caused precisely by his lack of thinking. He got what he deserved.

It's the deceiver's fault.

Now my theory has been proven right again.

What I'm more worried about is whether it will turn its fangs on the sunken pavilion.

Keep the purchase price low and raise the selling price. If you do that, you'll double your profits.

As I was thinking about this, my eyes suddenly met Estella's.

What's up with ......?What do you have to say to me?

'Um, sir!

Suddenly, Ginette shouted.

...... You idiot.

Now is not the time to interfere!

My head started to hurt as I imagined what would happen next.

And perhaps that's exactly what I thought would happen.

That is, Ginette will offer Morgatt a helping hand, and the diner will be taken advantage of to its detriment. And Jeannette will accept it without hesitation. 'If it will save Mr. Morgatt,' she says.

But there's more. Assunto would be a burden to the diner and to the farmer. Once the contract is signed, there is no way to change it, and the burden will continue to grow and the poor will be exploited.

'If farmers' livelihoods decline, the quality of vegetables will also decline!

He seems to be trying to persuade Assunto with a good argument. ...... Well, I guess it's no use.

'Oh. ...... So?

Assunto crosses his arms lightly as he turns his body from the mormat to the ginette.

It's not so much a listening stance...... as a speech armament. 'I'll take it,' he seems to have written on his face.

'So, could you please make the purchase price a little higher?

'But that would be to the detriment of our guild. We're not volunteers either, so that would be difficult.

'But you've been doing it at 1Rb per kilo so far!

'Our guild is also in a difficult situation right now.

The guild is in a tough situation,.......

'Hey, Estella.

I approached Estella, who turned away, and spoke to her in a whisper.

'Isn't what you just said going to be judged by the spirits?

It's a statement that the guild is also having a tough time right now.

I wondered if this could be used in the same way that Assunto had threatened Mormat earlier.

'I don't think so.

He denied me with a few simple words.

The word 'severe' is largely a subjective judgment of each individual. No matter how wealthy you are, if you insist that 'this level is too severe,' it is no longer a lie.

'How can you be so cryptic?'

'What cannot be judged will not be judged.'

That's sloppy, 'Judgment of the Spirits'.

'Which means... It's absolutely impossible and a lie, but it means that even if I say I love you, the Judgment of the Spirits can't judge me, right?

'...... I can't help but feel bad about the analogy. ...... Well, I guess you're right. If you continue to insist that you love me, even if the circumstantial evidence denies it, the Judgment of the Spirits will judge that you love me. ............ What a conversation, I'm so embarrassed about this conversation. ......'

Estella's cheeks flush.

Oh, it's strange that she looks like a girl when I look at her like this. ...... Well, she is a girl, but...

'Anyway, are you sure?I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.

Oh, that's right.

If I let him out of my sight, I'm sure I'll end up agreeing to some unbelievable contract.

He's such a tiresome shopkeeper.

'But, but, Mr. Mo-Mat is a very kind man, he's always been good to me ......!

You are starting to make misguided claims.

Kindness and goodness don't pay the bills.

The only way to persuade a merchant is to either move the money or make it impossible to move it.

'So, please do something to reduce the burden on Mr. Mormat!

'Well, that's wonderful. That's what I'd expect from you, Sunlit Pavilion.''

Assunto applauded dryly.

'I understand. If you insist so much, I'll consider changing the price from 10km 1Rb to 5km 1Rb.

'Are you sure!That's great, Mo-Mat!

Ginette's face lit up and she smiled at Mo'amat.

In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, you'll be able to find a lot more information here.

...... These guys are no good.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

I'm sure they're going to say, 'We've considered it, and it's going to be 10 kilos, 1Rb.

'In exchange, we will ask you to compensate for the disadvantage we will suffer by ......, is that okay?

'If that's the case, yoroko............ too!

He hurriedly covered Jeannette's mouth.

...... What was he just going to say?It's really scary, you natural.

'Mmm~!Mogomogomomo!Mogogo mogogo!

Jeannette's babbling something.

Hey, stop talking. It's nice to feel the soft touch moving back and forth in your palm!What if I accidentally fall in love with you?...... Let's not wash our hands for a while.

I put my face close to Jeannette's and say in her ear.

'Just shut up. From now on, don't say a word until I say it's okay.

'Hmmm?

'I don't know what you're talking about, but do as I say. Are you sure you want to lose the cafeteria?'

'No more cafeteria.'

These words seemed to have pierced Jeannette, and she suddenly became quiet.

When I looked at her, she looked like she was about to cry.

'Hey, hey, idiot, don't cry, okay?

I said, and tears began to appear in Jeannette's eyes, threatening to fall out at any moment.

'No, I'll do something to make sure that doesn't happen!So listen to me and shut up!Okay?

I said firmly, and Jeannette stared at my face, then nodded her head.

The tears barely spilled.

I took my hand away from Jeannette's mouth. Then, with a 'sigh,' Jeannette took a deep breath.

'Don't talk,' I said.

I said, and she nodded again.

Now, ......, and.

.................. Why did I say I'd do something about it? ......

I'm not sure.I'm not sure if it's because I can see myself being disadvantaged?

No, it's not. Maybe it's because it's worth money.

Yeah. If I get my way, I can give the peddler's guild a run for their money.

That's why I did it. I don't fully understand the rules of Judgment of the Spirits yet. ...... Well, a little guy like this would make a good practice partner.

However, I'm still a little nervous. ......

I'm not sure what to do.

I guess he can at least support me. ......

'Estella, I need your help.

When I beckoned her, Estella obediently complied and walked up to me. ...... Close, close, close!You're getting too close!

Estella moved close enough to bump me and whispered in my ear.

'You made Jeannette cry, didn't you?

'No, no tears spilled, so it's safe, right?

'You can do something about that, can't you, ............?

'Only if you help me.'

'............ If it works, I'll let this one slide.'

'Thanks a lot. Who do you think you are?

'My girlfriends.'

Yeah, well, I had a lot of girlfriends in junior high school, too.

'Hey!Can you not talk to Miyo so much? Miyo-chan, I think you're bothering her! If you want to talk to Miyo, you'll have to go through me first! Who the hell are you, ......?I want to talk to Miyo-chan, not you guardians!

............ Hahaha, no. I'm not sure what to make of it.

Girlfriends are a nuisance in any world, aren't they?

'If you mess up, I'll ...... stab you, okay?

Estella flashed a knife with a blade about 20 centimeters long that could only be called a murder weapon.

...... As expected, my Japanese girlfriends didn't go this far, though.

I don't want to get stabbed, so I'll do my best.

'Mr. Assunto. Let's switch players.'

'Oh, you're new here, aren't you?What kind of relationship do you have?'

'I'm Yashiro. I've been working at the Sunken Pavilion since yesterday. For some reason, I don't want to reveal my last name.'

'(Why are you copying me?)'

'I just got tired of using my real name honestly.

'(If you admire me, you should just say so honestly.)'

' (Hahahaha. Tell me when you're a B cup.

'(...... I'll stab you?)'

Stepping away from the serious tone of Estella, I confronted Assunto.

By taking a step back, I was now in a position to protect Mormat with my back to him.

'Yashiro ......, are you okay?'

Mormat asks me in a whisper.

I don't need you to worry about me. ...... You self-destructive crocodile.

'Before we talk about the farmer's purchase price, can we ask you to do one thing for us?

'Oh, what is it?

Assunto's expression softened as I asked him for a favor.

He may have thought he could take advantage of the negotiations. No, I've added more wishes in this vein, so maybe he thinks it's easier to give.

'Currently, the Sunshine Pavilion is purchasing from eleven different suppliers. We want to consolidate them.

Assunto's nose twitched.

'That's .......'

He slurred his words for a moment.

For the guild, consolidating suppliers would mean a loss of income. The cost of transporting ten people would be reduced.

So, what are you going to do?

'I can't do this on my own. You'll have to talk to each merchant individually.'

There you are.

And if you talk to them individually, they're going to threaten you by saying, 'If you cut me, you won't be able to get this product, and you'll lose money.

And in fact, they will prevent you from selling the products that the merchant you cut off was selling, and when you ask them to, they will sell them to you at a rip-off price. ......

That's a good threat for a small business owner with no connections.

But.

'Well, for starters, I'm going to have to cut you out of my business.

'Are you sure?If you don't make a deal with me, Sunlit Pavilion won't be able to get any more vegetables.

See?

'Yashiro-san may not know this because he's young, but there are many complicated arrangements between merchants. I'm in charge of vegetables and don't deal with fruits and fish. I think it's best for both of us to have a well-balanced relationship with all the other merchants as well. ...... If you are counting on the market, you should change your mind. They do not like to buy in bulk. You can't buy every day.

'For vegetables, you can buy directly from the farmers.

'Directly?Ha-ha-ha-ha!

Suddenly, Assunto burst into a belly laugh.

'You can't do that. It's impossible.

Assunto chuckled, wondering what was so funny.

'I see. Now I understand why you're so confident. Direct trading. Sure, it's possible to buy cheaply by doing that ......, but it's against the rules.

'Are the rules for the guild?

If so, it's none of my business as I'm not a member of a guild.

'No, sir. It's the Church's rules.

'The church?'

I turn my gaze to Estella, who is standing next to me.

Estella understands the meaning of my gaze and explains to me.

'In order to protect the income of each profession, the Church has created a system where professions do not compete with each other. To be more specific, those who are not members of the fishing industry are not allowed to catch and sell fish without permission. This is a measure to prevent price collapses, and no one but those who have been designated are allowed to make a profit from the work.

'And if they violate it?

'They will be judged by the High Court, and may be expelled from the city, or even executed in the worst cases.

Well, that's horrible.

So you're saying we shouldn't poach them and sell them at inflated prices.

Well, if such a thing were to become rampant, the market would be destroyed and it would be impossible to recover.

'There are exceptions to this rule, and if you have a permit from the lord of each district, you can engage in this business on a one-time basis.

I see.

So a person who is not a member of a guild would need a permit from the lord to sell goods.

'And the Peddler's Guild has a contract with each producer, and the mormats there are forbidden to sell their goods to anyone outside of our guild. If you violate it, you are a frog by the judgment of the spirits.

Violations of contracts between guilds and producers will be judged by the Judgment of the Spirits, not the General Court. ......

I'm sure you're right.

The contract between the guild and the producer is a "lie" because it violates the "I will keep my contract," but poaching is not a "lie" because there is no contract that says "I will not poach.

In other words, the supervising court judges violations that are not 'lies.

'Do you understand now?Unfortunately, Mr. Yashiro's secret plan cannot be implemented. I'm sorry to hear that.

That look of triumph is annoying.

If you ask me, you're the one I feel sorry for.

After all, you're on the ...... list of people I wouldn't mind smashing.

'By the way, is there any place that will buy your garbage?

'Garbage ......, is it?'

'Ah. I think it's time to replace the desks and chairs in the sunny pavilion. ...... Can you introduce me to any merchants who can buy the things I want to dispose of?''

'Hahahaha!No, Yashiro-san is a truly unique person. No merchant would pay money for something to be disposed of.''

'What?Why? What a waste.

'If you think so, why don't you start your own business?You can buy trash that you can't even use ...... and do business with it.

Assunto is smirking at me as if to make fun of me.

I wonder how long he can keep that annoying smile on his face?

'So, what can I do for you?Do you want to cancel the deal with me as you said earlier?

He emphasized "what you just said".

In other words, it is a prelude to saying that if you want to continue the transaction, you must accept the conditions we raise.

'If you want to continue the transaction, we can offer you a new price at .......'

'No, we'll call it off.

'What about ............?'

Assunto stiffens.

He looks at me as if he's looking at something he doesn't understand.

'So I'm not doing any more business with you.

'But ............ you won't regret it, will you?'

'Well, maybe.'

'Well, ............ that's fine. As you wish.'

Assunto's voice suddenly turns cold.

He seems to be quite annoyed.

I suppose this is just another negotiation tactic.

If you are blatantly angry, you will have the upper hand in the next round of negotiations.

The only way to negotiate with a person who has made you angry is to take the initiative. You will have to listen to some unreasonable demands.

Assunto is consistently trying to get the upper hand in negotiations.

But that doesn't work for me.

Because there is no next negotiation.

Perhaps it's because of my relaxed attitude, but Assunto gives me an uncomfortable glimpse.

Then, in what was clearly an attempt to check me, he said this to Mo-Mat.

'With the loss of one contracted location, the Guild's operations will become more difficult. Now we won't be able to lose a dime from 10km1Rb!

''Oh, no!

It's an appeal to Mo-Mat that I'm the one who caused the problem.

Mormat glares at me, taken in by this.

No, no, no. You were going to agree to 1Rb for 10 kilos either way, weren't you?

'Why don't you sell it to him for that?

'You idiot!Are you telling us to die?

'No, I'm not. It's that kind of extreme thinking that will get us caught.

I said calmly to the snorting and angry Mo-Matt.

Mo-Matt, too, seemed to understand his own fault and did not say anything more strongly.

He has a desperate look on his face, as if he is about to cry.

'But if that happens, ...... how am I going to live from now on ......'.

'We'll have to rely on self-sufficiency, won't we?'

'That's not true, we still do that. Everything we eat comes from our own fields!

'You can keep more for your own house. And only sell the surplus to the guild.'

'Even if you get a lot of vegetables, if you can't eat them, they'll just become garbage!

'If it's garbage, just throw it away.

'You want me to throw away my vegetables for nothing?

Mormat's strong hands grabbed me by the chest and squeezed me tightly.

His crocodile eyes glare at me. It looks as if it's about to swallow me whole.

'By the way, it seems that there are no guilds that buy and sell trash, so it's not against the rules to do so freely.

'So what about it?Who's going to buy the trash?

'Me.'

'What about ............?'

Mormat revealed his dumb face and relaxed his hand.

While he's doing that, I get away from his heavy hands and fix my collar.

Then I straighten up and say to Mormat.

'If there's going to be a lot of garbage, let me know. I'll come and pick it up for 10 kilos and 20 Rb.

'What?

So far, Momat and the others were getting 1Rb per kilo and 10Rb per kilo.

And the scrap vegetables that Ginette was buying were 80Rb for 10 kilos.

If I buy them at 20Rb per kilo, Momat can expect to earn twice as much as before, and the Sunshine Pavilion can spend only a quarter of what it used to. All good things come to an end.

'But we have a limit to the amount we can take in, so we'll have to consult with the neighboring farmers to limit the total amount.

'Wait a minute, please!

It was Assunto who interfered with my words.

'That's a violation!It's sabotage against our peddler's guild!We can't allow you to do that!''

'Is that so?I'm only buying 'waste that can't be turned into merchandise'.

'It's not waste, is it?

'Waste. A family doesn't eat 10 or 20 kilos of vegetables, right?There's nothing wrong with throwing them away before they spoil. Or what?Does the guild have a rule on the total amount of vegetables a farmer can consume at home?

'...... No, that's not what ............'

'Regardless of how many vegetables Momat sets aside for her family, or how many vegetables she throws away, it should be none of the Guild's business. And ......'

I pointed my finger at Assunto's upturned nose and said clearly.

'You're the one who said, "No merchant will pay for what he has to dispose of," aren't you?And did you also say this?'If that's what you think, why don't you start your own business? ......'

'......'!

Blood vessels appeared clearly on Assunto's forehead.

His forehead is covered with veins, his face is covered with sweat, and his face is shiny and pig-like.

'That's why I'm starting. That's why I'm going to start a new business. I'm going to have to work with the cafeteria.

Assunto fell completely silent when I assured him of this.

'Oh, ............, oh, ............, that means we can earn twice as much as before? You mean we're going to get twice as much money as we've ever gotten before?

Mormat was shaking uncontrollably.

'Simple, stupid crocodile.

'What?

I warned the buoyant crocodile.

'Sunshine Pavilion is not wealthy enough to help poor farmers. We'll only buy what we need for our own use at double the conventional price. But I can't handle more than that. From there on, you'll have to talk to the guild and come to a good agreement.

'Oh, yeah, I understand ....... No, but I'm happy about it. It's like the value of my vegetables just went up!

Mormat frolics.

This crocodile guy doesn't seem to understand what's going on. ...... Well, you can do the rest yourself.

I'm happy because I can now buy what I think are good vegetables at a reasonable price.

Farmers will be a little more comfortable if they can secure a certain amount of income every month.

At least, it's better than being forced to buy all their vegetables at a tenth of the price.

'...... Well done.'

Estella puts her hand on my shoulder and whispers these words.

'It's just that my opponent was a practice-level idiot.

'No, it's a big deal.'

Estella has a satisfied smile on her face.

I feel uncomfortable, like I'm being praised.

'So, was there anything I just said that could be traced to the Judgment of the Spirits?

I'm sure you'll be fine.' ............

I don't feel safe, but I'll trust you for now.

'More importantly, you should submit an application to the lord to open a guild.

'Open a guild?

'Those who start a new profession can open a guild to which it belongs.'

'A garbage collection guild?We don't need one of those.

'No, you'll need it. If someone else opens it later, you'll have to follow their rules.

I see, I have to prevent people from taking advantage of my business and sip the profits. ......

'I don't know how to open one.

'I'll take care of it with a week's worth of lunches, though?'

Estella tells me with a smug look on her face.

............ Well, thank goodness I don't have anything to show for it, but ...... I'm going to owe this guy... ......... Ahh...

'...... Got it. I'll take care of it.

'Leave it to me. I'll have it done by the end of the day.'

Estella patted me on the back and ran off.

...... I wonder if I can trust that guy?

He was still in a state of excitement, pacing around the field and shouting as if he had an idea.

It's ...... scary.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.

It's not like he accepted defeat and quietly stepped aside,............, is it?

He might try to do something to you. You have to be very careful.

And then there's ...... this guy.

'............'.

I'm not sure if you'll be able to find the right one for you.

It seems that she is going to be honest and not speak until I say it's okay. It seems that ...... is nearing its limit. I want to talk!Can I go now? He has been signaling me with his eyes.

'...... You can talk now.

'Yashiro-san!

As soon as I gave my permission, Jeannette jumped on me.

I felt an unbearable softness pressing against my chest.

'You're amazing, Yashiro!Mr. Mormat, our cafeteria, and everyone else is feeling much better!

'No, it hasn't yet, has it?

'We will be!

He seemed to be quite happy, but he must have been disappointed.

The guild will suffer a loss as much as we will be relieved.

Well, I guess it's better if this sycophant doesn't notice.

'And they're not just garbage vegetables, they're real vegetables!It's amazing!I'm sure the customers who come to my house will be satisfied!

'Is that diner ...... going to have customers?

'They're coming, that's for sure!About five people a day are coming!

There are a few ...... that are not zero, which is a relief at least, but ............ five people.... It's not even a restaurant.

If we don't do something about this, we'll soon find ourselves without a place to stay again.

'Hey, you guys.

Mormat, who was walking around the field, called out to us.

In his hands, he's holding a pile of colorful vegetables.

'This is our thanks. Please take it.'

'Oh no!No, that's not nice!That many!

'It's okay, Ginette!If it weren't for Yashiro, this vegetable would have been worth nothing. I'm happy about the sales, but most of all, I'm happy that you preserved the value of my vegetables. Please take them.

'No, but ......'

'Then, Yashiro!You'll take it, won't you?

Mormat asks me, passing over the reserved Jeannette.

If you're willing to give it to me for free, I'd be very grateful.

Now I can get rid of the vendor as soon as possible.

'I'll take it gratefully.

'That's the way it should be!

'Um, but, Yashiro-san, ......'

'Ginette. The old man is happy that the value of the vegetables has been preserved. If that's the case, don't you think he'd be even happier if you made a delicious dish out of these vegetables and served it to him?''

'My cooking will make Mr. ...... Mo'amat happy?'

Ginette looked at Morgatt with a slightly incredulous expression.

Mormat nodded clearly and smiled broadly.

'That's good!Please tell Ginette and these customers that our vegetables are delicious. I'll be happy to hear it.

Ginette's expression brightened as she heard Mormat's words.

'Yes!

So, Jeannette runs up to Mormat and starts helping him carry the mountain of vegetables.

Oh, man.

You think it's too hard to just take what's given to you.

Your profits are my bread and butter. I'm not going to hold back.

Otherwise, you can't expect me to get paid.

In any case, I'm glad we got the vegetables for free.

Let's donate to the church and thank Estella for the scrap vegetables, and put these vegetables on the menu.

We'll increase the price per customer and make a profit. Then, quickly renovate the store so that it can attract more customers.

If the store is prosperous, many people will visit.

If you do that, you can get information about this town and make connections.

In addition, you may be able to get information about the peddlers' guild and other shady businesses.

I'm a sucker for shady businesses.

If the scoundrels in this city are using Jeannette as a patsy, I'll make them my patsy.

I am the top of the con man pyramid.

I think I know what I'm supposed to do.

I'll save Jeannette and rebuild the Sunshine Pavilion.

Coincidentally,......, that's also what Bertina and Estella wanted.

And if that's the case, I think it's best to play the good guy here.

If I can convince them that I'm a good person, they may be able to help me in many ways.

'Jeannette.

'Yes, sir.

'I'm going to fix up the diner.'

'...... What?

'We're going to make it a popular diner that can attract more customers.

'The Sunken Pavilion, you mean?

'Yes, that's right. We're going to make it a place where many people gather every day.'

'Just like when your grandfather was at ......?

'No, I don't know what it was like when your grandfather was here.

Jeannette choked on her words, and for a moment she looked as if she might cry.

But it was quickly replaced by a smile--

'...... Yes. Let's do our best.

--The tears fall down as tears of joy.

Well, I'll take advantage of you as much as I can.

You simple, naive, sycophant.